Come To My Window
by boredandhomealone
Summary: What happens when the tabloids strike and Darren is outed? Will it be the end for Glee's power couple? CrissColfer. Rating for some naughty words, and possible later chapters. Please R&R. I'm a grown up... I can take it...
1. The Blow Up

_**Ok, so this is my first Glee fic, and my first RPF ever published on . (I used to have a ton of fics on here, but then I realized my early writings really sucked so I deleted them... all but one at least.) I am a Gleeaholic, but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to write Blaine/Kurt. Maybe it's because those two are still teenagers in high school and I have long since left that world. Besided, I absolutely ADORE Darren and Chris, and it seems like they have such an awesome relationship, which I decided to take full advantage of with this fic. **_

_**For what ever the reason, this little plot bunny crawled into my head and would NOT let go. **_

_**P.S. I don't own anything you may recognize... cause if I did, I would force these two to sing me to sleep every night.**_

_**PLEASE R&R... I'M LIKE A FIVE STAR RESTAURANT... I NEED REVIEWS TO LIVE!**_

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"Oh my GaGa… this is an absolute nightmare! He can't do this! What the hell is wrong with people?" Chris squeaked, tossing the tabloid down on the table in front of a very confused Darren. Knowing his younger cast mate had a knack for blowing things far out of proportion, Darren began to laugh and reach for the discarded paper. Chris stopped pacing and his eyes widened as he watched Darren turn the paper over. He dove for the paper, trying desperately to snatch it from the curly haired man's hands who then got up from the table and began running around the kitchen giggling.

_If he only knew what was on the front of that damn thing, he wouldn't be laughing. _Chris chased Darren out of the small kitchen of the apartment they had been sharing for the last six months and down the hall to their bedroom. Chris quickly ducked the pillow that was thrown at his head, and cringed as it slammed into the lamp on the dresser. Thankfully, nothing had gotten broken, at least not yet. Placing his hands on his hips, the younger man shook his head as he watched his friend bounce on the bed like a five year old, still giggling at being able to outrun Chris.

"Darren. Please," Chris pleaded. The tone is his voice stopped Darren in mid-bounce. He had a look of bewilderment on his face that would have been funny in any other situation, but not now and not with the paper in his hands. Sighing, Chris crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, where Darren joined him. Reluctantly, Darren handed over the paper and for a split second Chris contemplated just throwing it away and never showing it to his best friend and co-star, although according to the paper they were so much more than that.

"We need to talk."

Darren cringed, his eyebrows bunching unnaturally as he stared at Chris, trying to decipher the look on his face. Damn him for being such a good actor. _We need to talk. _Those words kicked around in his head and caused a dull throb to start. Never in his life had he ever had a conversation end well when it began with those words. Those four little words. That's all they are. Four little words can't hurt you, but they can turn your whole world upside down. Darren's world had been topsy-turvy for quite some time, but ever since meeting the sandy haired man that sat next to him staring at the floor, it had been set on its ear. It would be hard to deny the fact that he had feelings for him, but he was _straight _for Pete's sake. Straight guys don't crush on their gay co-stars.

_But Darren, you seem to forget, _a small voice in his head said._ You are about as straight as a windy road in the farthest of the far of back country roads in the middle of nowhere that tend to lead to absolutely nowhere whatsoever. I have serious issues. Where do I come up with this stuff? Why is Chris staring at me? _

"Darren, why do you look like you're in pain?" Chris asked, rolling the newspaper in his hand. Had the other man already seen the headline? Judging by the look on his face, it was still undetermined.

"Nope, I'm good. So, what's going on babe? Why on earth have you been so bent on keeping that paper from my hands? Afraid I'll read some raunchy untrue story about you and some back alley shenanigans?"

"I wish it were that simple, Dare." Chris sighed, unrolling the paper he still had clenched in his now sweating hands. Chris took a deep breath and decided to bite the bullet. He knew he wouldn't be able to keep this from Darren forever, but he wished he could somehow delay it at least another two or three decades. By then, both of them would be too old to care.

_Ok, that tone was kinda concerning, _Darren thought to himself. Chris was acting really weird, even by their standards. Something was definitely not right, and he had a feeling he was about to find out exactly what it was. Looking down he saw what Chris had been trying to hide from him. Darren's jaw came unhinged and he opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out but a squeak. His mind was trying to comprehend the words he saw in front of him, but he couldn't bring himself to understand. Who would have done such a thing, and even more… why?

In bold letters across the front page was _Darren Criss: Glee's Resident Closet Case. _Underneath the headline was a picture of Darren from Coachella. _Didn't people know that all of that was just in good fun? And why are people so damn concerned with labels anyway? Love is love. PERIOD. _It was the line in the lower corner of the magazine that caused Darren's chest to clench: _Falchuk says it's time for him to go. _

"Darren?" It was just a whisper but it hit the curly haired man's ears like a shout, and he recoiled. Chris reached out and placed a hand on the other man's arm, who quickly scooted away from him and scrambled to the other side of the room. The walls were caving in around him rapidly, and he knew he had to get out of there before the weight of the situation completely crushed him. Darren looked back down at the crumbled paper and debating on going over to it and stomping it, but the look in Chris's eyes stopped it. He wasn't sure what all he saw there. Anger? Sadness? Remorse? There seemed to be something else that sparked ever so briefly in those shallow pools of blue, but it was gone before he could put his finger on it. Not only was he about to lose his best friend, but he had apparently lost his livelihood as well.

"Darren." This time it was more of a demand; a gentle urging to get him to speak. Again, the shorter man opened his mouth to speak, but as Chris approached him he reacted swiftly and bolted from the room.

Standing in the middle of their shared bedroom, Chris looked down at the fallen periodical with cloudy eyes. As the tears blazed hot, angry trails down his cheeks, he picked up the offensive article and tossed it across the room, screaming in anger as he heard the front door slam. Why was someone always so hell bent on ruining his life? What had he ever done to anyone? He began to think he had seriously pissed someone off in a former life, and this was his punishment. If that were the case, then fine. He could handle the humiliation; he was used to it. But why did people insist on bringing down everyone in his life?

Chris stalked towards the kitchen and flung open the refrigerator and felt more tears escape his eyes as he saw the remnants of their dinner tucked away neatly in bowls on the top shelf. Just a few hours ago, everything in his life had been right. He was finally doing what he loved, and what made it even more special was he was sharing it with someone he loved. He scoffed as he thought about those miserable people in the world who refused to allow others to be happy. He hadn't even gotten a chance to tell Darren how he really felt before someone else put the words in his mouth and turned them into something ugly. Reaching to the back of the fridge, he pulled out a bottle of watermelon schnapps and turned the bottle upside down. He knew downing that much sugary alcohol at once was only going to end badly, but at the moment he didn't care. He was wanted to cease to feel, even if for just a little while. He felt hid cell phone vibrate in his pocked, followed by The Warbler's version of Hey, Soul Sister which meant only one thing: Darren. Chris dug in his pocket to check his phone, and felt his heart drop when he read the message.

_Talked 2 RIB. I'm out. Prolly not b home 2nite. Gonna go crash w/ some of the guyz. _

Chris fumbled a reply, then deleted it. He tried yet again, but still ended up deleting his message. There was so much he wanted to say to Darren, but yet nothing sounded right. He wanted to tell him he loved him and wanted him to come home, but he doubted Darren wanted to even look at him at this point. Sighing, Chris replied:

_K. Pls b careful. Call if u want 2 talk. I will c u when u get home 2morrow._

_I'll b by to get my stuff sumtime. I'm going back to SF 2morrow. I'm sorry._

Those words hit Chris like a ton of bricks, and he collapsed to the floor, no longer able to repress the sobs that now shook his entire body.

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_**So, what do you think? Something I should continue? Or should I just go back to my boring life and accept the fact that my life will never be that damn exciting? Remember, a review to me is like a Golden Globe to Chris. I will love on it and hug it and pet it forever.**_


	2. The Call

_**Ok, so I didn't get a HUGE response from the first chapter but that's okay. Hopefully it's just because it's snuck by unnoticed, and not that everyone thinks it sucks. So, here is chapter two. Not as long as the first one but not just a filler chapter either. I am not sure just how long this story will be, but it will most likely just be a few more chapters, five or six at the most. My ADD doesn't allow me to go much beyond that. It's the same reason why I've been trying to write my novel for almost 7 years now, and why I've decided poetry is much more my speed. (Requires a shorter attention span.) For those of you who are reading, I do hope you like this because I am having a good time writing it. I'm trying to throw a little humor in with all the angsty-ness. (I love using that whole "artistic license" thing and making up words. My girlfriend says I shouldn't do it, but I think it's kinda fun!) In case you can't tell by now, I can be quite the rambler because I'm somewhat of a spaz, but I've been told it's an endearing quality. I think someone lied to me…**_

_**Anywho… on with the story!**_

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_Ouch. _Chris reached up and placed a hand to his forehead. Sleeping on the floor was so not a good idea. _Stupid alcohol_, he thought as he struggled to his feet. _Stupid_ _tabloid_, he grumbled as he walked down the hall to the bathroom. _Stupid Darren. _He looked at himself in the mirror and cringed. Granted he'd only fallen asleep for a couple of hours, but he looked like hell. His cheeks were blotchy and red, and his eyes closely resembled the road maps on his Garmin. His hair was a sight to behold, but he couldn't bring himself to care about any of that or anything else, for that matter. He looked down at the counter and saw two toothbrushes in the cup, and the waterworks started all over again.

"Damn you, Darren Criss. Why did you make me fall in love with you?" He knew it sounded stupid and pathetic to blame his own feelings on someone else, but he had to blame someone. It wasn't his fault Darren was so cute and sweet and funny and charming and kind and…

"OH MY GAWD, SHUT UP!" Chris screamed at no one in particular, clamping his hands over his ears as he hurriedly left the bathroom. He was quite sure he looked ridiculous and that his behavior would most likely lead to a 72 hour hold in the local psych ward, but again he didn't care.

Chris groaned as he heard his cell phone ringing. _Let the media circus begin, _he thought as he waived his arms grandly. He chuckled darkly at his own behavior. Had he really managed to turn into the consummate lover scorned that quickly? Maybe there was still a little bit of the booze running through his veins. He trudged back to the kitchen and scowled at the offending object as it danced on the counter. Chris looked down at the display and rolled his eyes. Ryan. Great. Preparing himself for the fight of the century, he snatched the phone off the marble slab, only to fumble it and watch as it crashed helplessly and loudly to the floor.

"Ugh!" After his almost Kurt-like sigh of exasperation and stopping of his foot, he reached down and grabbed the phone which had now fallen silent. His emotions were mixed about the new silence in the room. A quite phone meant not dealing with a screaming and most likely super pissed off Ryan, which was good, but it also meant Chris couldn't demand Ryan to tell him why Darren had to be fired. Wrinkling his nose up, Chris knew the answer to that question without even asking it. IF the show was threatened, then they would have to do damage contro. Chris was Ryan's golden boy and his number one right now. Everyone knew that if Chris was fired, it would be the end of Glee. Granted Darren would be missed, but it would be much easier to replace Kurt's boyfriend than to replace Kurt. Right now, the logical and rational side of his brain told him that there had to be something he could do to convince Ryan and the others to keep Darren., but the completely irrational other side of his brain was telling him his life was officially over and it was too late and he would never be able to go back in his bathroom again because of that damn toothbrush holder. _So maybe I'm being a little dramatic. So what? _Deciding to just bite the proverbial bullet, Chris dialed Ryan's number and felt his stomach do somersaults with each ring. He was about to chicken out and hang up when he heard a _click._

"What the hell were you two thinking?"

"You know, standard phone etiquette states that you say "hello" when answering the phone," Chris snapped back before realizing he really wasn't in the position to be bitchy. He was about to apologize but was interrupted.

"Listen, Chris." Far be it from Ryan to beat around the bush. Go straight to for the kill was his motto. "I'm not one to pry into your guys' personal lives and I know there was the whole "no sex" thing but I also know how hard it's been for you to fit in and since-."

"But that's the problem!" Chris squeaked, his turn to interrupt. "There's been no sex. In fact," Chris began but stopped. The pause in his sentence seemed to carry on forever until he finally finished in one quiet breath. "Darren doesn't know how I feel about him."

The line was silent for what seemed like hours. Once again, Chris could feel his eyes start to burn but he refused to let the tears come back again as he realized he had spoken those words out loud for the first time. Now here he was on the verge of tears again. He was a man, for crying out loud, and men didn't cry. Especially three times in one day. He was already well over his yearly quota for pity parties.. He would just have to suck it up, no matter how much it hurt. He was an actor, and a damn good one at that. He could fake his way through this with no problem. In fact, he was sure his performance would be so good it would earn him an Oscar.

"Oh, Chris…" Ryan's voice sounded so defeated and sad that Chris felt his chest clench in response. He sat down at the kitchen table and rested his head in his free hand as he prepared to hear the "you're a great guy and all but you really have got to stop falling for your very straight co-stars and costing them their careers" speech, but in his own defense, this was the first time one of his one-sided crushes had cost someone something other than a little embarrassment as they fumbled through the "I'm really flattered but we play for different teams" reply. Much to Chris's surprise, Ryan's speech never came. All he could hear was a sigh coming from the older man. Obviously there was something more to all of this.

"Ryan? What's going on? Why do I feel like I'm missing the most important chapter of the novel?" Chris asked nervously, nit sure if he was ready to hear the answer.

"I talked to Darren and he told me," Ryan took a deep breath before he continued. The pause spoke volumes to Chris. _Oh dear gawd, don't say it. Please Ryan, don't say it. Don't friggin say it. _"He told me he was in love with you, and that as much as it killed him to leave, he understood our decision. He realized that his whole 'I'm straight now I might be gay' debacle would only bring both of you down, and he says he loved you too much to watch your career go up in flames. I mean think about it Chris. While most people are okay with the relationship between Kurt and Blaine, they know those two were gay from day one. Imagine how people will react if they find out that a man who had come out as straight suddenly decided to change his mind. All the right-wing nut jobs in the world would have a field day with that one. They'd swear up and down you had converted him. Darren says he doesn't want to put you in that position, no matter how painful it is.

If the train of his life was on rusty tracks before, it was now officially derailed. The only man Chris had ever truly loved and could see himself with for more than just a few years, and had actually loved him back, was gone. Once again, karma had kicked him right square in the balls. _Oh Darren. Why did you feel like this is something you had to decide on your own? Don't you know I'm a big boy and can handle myself? _Chris knew Darren was only trying to protect him like he always has, but this time Chris was certain this pain was far worse than anything the media or anyone else could have dished on him.

"Chris." Ryan snapped him out of his thoughts and brought him back down to earth. "I'm really sorry about all of this. I wish there was something I could do to fix all this, but I can't. That's up to you and Darren, and he seems determined to run. If you do happen to see him, tell him I wish him all the luck in the world, and that despite what went down with the show I'm sure he'll be crazy successful in whatever it is he chooses to do."

"I'll be sure to tell him," Chris replied quietly before hanging up the phone. Letting out an angry scream, he threw the phone across the room, which shattered against the wall. He laid his head down on the table and studied the wooden pattern up close. _Now what?_

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_**I hope you guys like this chapter. Please feel free to leave me a note and let me know what you think. Thanks for reading!**_


	3. Decisions

**_Hi gang! Sorry it took me so long to update this. I wasn't completely sure how I wanted to proceed, and I'm still not totally happy with this chapter the way it is. I already have most of the end worked out in my head, so maybe a few more chapters and that will be it. I've already got an itch for my next story, which is actually a rework of something I wrote a long time ago. Anywho, here is chapter three. Please make me a happy person and review. =^)_**

**_If you know it, I don't own it. _**

Darren stared at is contacts list, wondering who on earth he could call. The one person he always counted on was in the same mess he was, and he couldn't expect Chris to give him advice on his feelings. He looked out the window of the all night fast food place he had been sitting at since leaving Chris's place in such a hurry a few hours ago. He was pretty sure the employees knew who he was, but none of them approached him. Darren couldn't tell if it was because they were being nice and giving him some space, or just avoiding him because of the tabloids. Sighing he looked back down at his phone and spotted a name. _He's got a good, level head. Maybe he can help me sort this shit out, _Darren thought as he dialed the number.

"Hello?" a very groggy and barely awake Curt Mega mumbled. Darren rolled his eyes at his stupidity; he had forgotten that is was now well after midnight and that most normal people would be asleep.

"Curt, dude. I am so sorry," Darren apologized. "I forgot how late it is. I just needed someone to talk to."

"Dare, what's going on?" Curt could tell by the panic in Darren's tone that something wasn't right. He slid out of bed, being extra careful not to wake his sleeping wife. She wasn't a happy camper when someone woke her up in the middle of the night. Poor Curt had learned this lesson the hard way. Peeking over his shoulder, he watched as she shifted her position and sighed. He crept from the bedroom to the kitchen, where he flipped on the light and opened the fridge, rummaging for a snack.

"I just got fired," Darren said with a sigh, running a hand through his unruly hair. He locked eyes with one of the female employees for a split second, who blushed and quickly turned away. He chuckled to himself, thinking she must be one of the few in L.A. that doesn't read the tabloids.

"Whaf? Fwy?" Curt exclaimed with a mouthful of granola. He pulled out the chair at the table and swung one leg over the seat. _It's late. Maybe I just heard him wrong?_

"Ok, first off… was that English? Second…" Darren trailed off. He didn't even know what to say. A small sniffle escaped as a stray tear rolled down his cheek, which he quickly swatted away. Curt could tell this was something that more than likely couldn't be resolved over the phone so he told Darren to sit tight and he would be right there. Five minutes later, Curt was dressed and out the door, a note on the kitchen table for his wife in case she should wake up and miss him. He couldn't help but laugh at himself. Somehow he had been suckered into the "big brother slash mentor" role, and he wasn't quite sure how. As he drove through the still bust streets of downtown Los Angeles, he heard his phone ring. Figuring it was Darren calling back, Curt wrinkled his nose when he saw the name on the caller ID.

"Hi Chris," Curt said, a little too cheerily for one o'clock in the morning. Curt spotted Darren's car and pulled in beside it, killing the engine.

"How did you know it was me? Oh, shit. Duh, Chris. Caller ID. Damn it. I'm sorry. Listen, have you talked to Darren? I have a problem and I need some help." Boy, this kid could go a mile a minute. The high pitched panicky tone to Chris's voice told him this was something rather huge, so Curt made the decision that he wasn't going to tell Chris he was meeting Darren, at least not until he got to the bottom of the situation. He figured he could better advise Darren if he knew the whole truth, and he knew Chris would hide facts from him if he knew he had talked to Darren. Curt noticed his head start spinning as he climbed from the car. _These two will be the death of me, _he thought as he leaned against the hood of the car, watching Darren through the window and listening to Chris ramble.

"Darren was fired." Chris sighed. "And I think I'm the reason why." _Duh. I could have told you that, you big goof, _Curt wanted to say. He had known for quite some time the two had feelings for each other, but that both were too scared to confess it to the other. Curt decided to play along, and see what information he could get from Chris before he talked to Darren.

"What do you mean?"

A long pause filled the air, then Chris continued, his voice low and forlorn. "Darren has feeling for me. He was fired because of it. The tabloids accused us of sleeping together, and him being a big closet case, and Ryan caught wind and they fired Darren and ohmygawd Curt… what am I going to do? What the hell should I do?" Chris was now in full blown panic mode.

"By why would he be fired for that?" Curt's question was honest; he didn't see what the big deal was, or why the two men's personal lives would even matter to the success or failure of the show.

"Are you serious?" Chris squealed, his voice reaching an octave Curt had no idea it could hit. "Think about it. Darren has been spouting for a year or more now that he's straight, and that he's just someone who is comfortable in his own skin and sexuality and now all of a sudden he has feelings for me? Curt, there are people in this world who live to hate guys like me. They love to make up shit about how we've managed to "convert the straights" and how we're spreading our so called gay disease around. I've grown up with this shit and I know how to deal with it, but I can't put Darren through that. I just can't. I love him way too much."

"What did you just say?" Curt asked incredulously. Did he really hear that come from Colfer's mouth?

"I love him Curt." _Yes, he did. By golly, it's about time someone fesses up!_ "I really do. I tried not to but damn it, I couldn't help myself." Chris was now sobbing into the phone. It was the first time he had ever admitted his feelings for Darren out loud, and the feeling was wonderful and painful at the same time. Curt wished he could go to Chris, but he also knew Darren was waiting for him. He sighed as he shook his head. His friends had managed to get themselves into quite a mess, and he wasn't sure how to help but he would do the best he could, so Curt made the decision to end the call and go get Darren's side of the story.

"Listen, I have something I need to take care of. I want you to just go to bed and get some sleep and we'll hook up tomorrow and figure something out. I'm not trying to blow you off, and I promise I will call you in the morning. Everything will be fine."

"Yeah, I know. Bye." Thankfully, Chris bought his lie and they ended the conversation.

Taking a deep breath, Curt went to face Darren. He was certainly not prepared for what he found. His normally bouncy and energetic friend was sitting in the corner, looking quite like a wounded puppy. Sliding into the booth across from Darren, Curt smiled. Darren looked up and Curt's heart broke in two at the look in Darren's eyes. The heartbreak was evident; the man was crushed.

"So what did you do to get fired?"

"I fell in love." Those were probably the most depressing words Curt have ever heard. A declaration like that should be happy and not something that sounded like your best friend had just ran over your cat.

"Explain?" Curt asked, feigning ignorance.

"Chris. I just couldn't help it, and I can't explain it. I've never felt this way about anyone, let alone another guy, nor did I ever imagine I would or could. It's just… he came into my life and all of a sudden I feel like I hadn't been living but just existing. He makes me feel so alive and special and like I really truly mattered. What if I screwed it all up? What if I've lost him forever? I know I can't face him now. Not after all this."

"Okay," Curt began. "First, you don't know that you've lost him or screwed anything up and second, you don't even know how Chris feels. I mean, have you tried talking to him and telling him everything? You know, how you feel?"

"What? No!" Darren exclaimed. "His life is stressful enough without having to deal with all this junk. I think it would be best for us both if I just disappeared. I'm going back to San Fran, Curt. I can't stay here. It's too painful. For me and him both. Maybe if I leave, all will just go back to normal and Chris will be happy again."

Curt inwardly screamed in frustration. He knew damn well that Chris was not happy with things the way they were, and he knew that if Darren left it would only get worse. He wanted to take Darren by the shoulders and shake him, and make him go see Chris but he knew he couldn't do that. He knew this was something they needed to work out on their own and do for themselves. Sighing Curt looked around the deserted restaurant to be sure no one was listening, and leaned across the table.

"Do me one favor before you go? Please? Go see him and tell him how you feel. You owe him at least that much, Dare. Especially after running out on him like you did. Hell, you owe it to yourself, man." Curt stood and looked down at Darren, who was staring at the pattern on the table. "Don't go without talking to him. You might be missing out on the best thing that's ever happened to you."


	4. Confessions

_**Hi gang! Sorry it's taken so long to get this posted, but I started it one way and decided I didn't like it. It will most likely be one more chapter after this one then I think I might start something else. Just not sure what yet. Again, thanks for taking the time to read. Feel free to toss me a review, let me know what you think. **_

_**On with the story!**_

Chris stared at the red glowing numbers on his alarm clock. It had been three hours now. Three hours since Darren had left. Well, three hours and three months to be more precise. Chris blinked at his clock, his eyes fogging as the minutes ticked by. Knowing he wasn't going back to sleep any time soon, he crawled from under the covers and made his way to the closet and flicked on the light, the bare bulb casting an eerie yellow glow around the room as he reached towards the back of the neatly hung clothes. It was the same thing he had done every sleepless night since Darren had left. Sighing, Chris pulled the well worn University of Michigan hoodie from the back of the closet and wrapped his arms around it. It had begun to lose its smell, but it still felt like Darren and Chris clung to whatever little bit he had left.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared out the bedroom window into the night and let his mind wander. After the initial thoughts about where the other man could be right now, and what he was doing, and if he was missing Chris as much as Chris was missing him, his mind drifted back to the day Darren first came to his place after work. They had known each other only a few short days but the bonds had already been formed. They had stayed up all night, "The Lion King" on repeat as they sat and ate pizza and talked like long lost friends. Chris inhaled deeply, the scent on the sweatshirt still lingering but fading into the night. He finally pulled the shirt on, pretending it was Darren wrapped around him and not an inanimate object. Turning off the light in the closet, he wandered towards the living room, a hand running through his unkempt hair. He saw the remnants of the previous evening and decided since he wasn't going back to sleep, then he might as well clean up.

Mundane tasks always enabled his mind to stray and this time was no exception. He thought back to the prior night and the look on Lea's face when she saw just how truly heartbroken her friend was. They were on hiatus from Glee, and despite having so much work to get done Chris found himself doing none of it. Instead he chose to skulk about his now empty apartment, and watch reruns of "I Love Lucy". The rest of the cast was worried, which was why Lea had called the emergency intervention.

"We're all so worried about you," Lea said as she closed the door behind Cory, the last of the guests to leave. As much as he loved his friends, Chris just wanted them all to go away and Lea was no exception. She was sitting on his sofa, patting the cushion next to her and indicating for him to take a seat which he did so reluctantly.

"Why? I'm fine." The words were cold and emotionless. Despite being a top class actor, Chris couldn't lie about this one. He was the furthest thing from fine, and he knew it.

"Sweetie, when was the last time you left your apartment?"

"Tuesday?"

"It's Saturday, honey."

"Oh." Chris couldn't help it. He felt the walls he had managed to build up slowly start to crumbled, each echo of "I'm fine" in his head chipping away more and more at his resolved until finally it broke. The tears flowed freely as he fell into Lea's arms, sobbing. He hadn't cried since Darren had left. A silly little part of him kept saying the other man would be back, but as each day ticked by Chris became more and more aware that the older man was most likely gone and wasn't coming back. Ever.

"I miss him so much," Chris sniffled, his tears blazing unfamiliar paths down his red cheeks. He reached up and swiped them away, angry at them for falling and angry at the man who had caused them in the first place. "Why hasn't he called? Why didn't he love me, Lea? What did I do wrong? Why doesn't anyone ever love me?" The sobs were almost uncontrollable at this point and Lea did all she could to comfort her friend, holding him in her arms and stroking his hair gently. Her heart was breaking for him, but she knew there was nothing she could do to ease the ache he felt.

"Baby, I love you," she said quietly, trying to calm the shaking young man."I'm sure Darren does love you. He's probably just scared."

"Of what? Me?" Chris asked, sitting up.

"No baby. You know, I wish I could answer that for you. I really do. The only thing I know for sure is you will meet someone, Chris. I promise."

"But I want Darren, Lea. I want him back." Chris knew he sounded childish but he didn't care. "I have met someone, and I just know it's him. I want Darren back. I want him to come home to me. I want to be with him." Chris lay back on the sofa, the exhaustion starting to take over his body. Meanwhile the wheels in Lea's head began to turn full speed.

"We'll figure this out, sweetie. I promise, ok? Just try not to think about it anymore tonight, and tomorrow we'll see what we can come up with. Just go to bed and try and get some rest, sweetie." Lea leaned down to give Chris a kiss on the cheek, which he returned half-heartedly along with a broken smile. Lea blew him a small kiss before slipping out the door. Her cell phone was already in her hand and she was dialing as she made her way out of his building and towards her car. Climbing inside, she tossed the keys onto the dash and listened as the phone rang.

"Hello?" a groggy voice said on the other end. Lea looked at the clock and realized most people would be asleep at this hour, but her anger kept her from feeling any middle of the night phone call anxiety.

"Why haven't you called?" she snapped, formal greetings tossed by the wayside. "I just spent the last two hours watching Chris mope around his apartment, which by the way, he hasn't left since Tuesday. Not to mention-…"

"Whoa. Hold on," Darren said sitting up in his bed. He'd been staying with his brother since he'd left Chris's place that fateful night. Many nights he had picked up the phone with the intention of following Curt's advice, but every time he had put his phone away, figuring Chris would be either too hurt or too pissed or possibly both to talk to him.

"No, now you hold on." Lea was on a roll. She was angry because her friend had been hurt, and she was angrier that the one person who could have solved the whole situation had done nothing to solve it. "That poor man just spent the last twenty minutes in my arms sobbing uncontrollably, Darren. Do you know why? He's crushed. I have seen Chris pretty bummed out before but this is different Darren. It's like his soul has died, and he's not living anymore, just merely existing. He loves you, Dare. Really, truly, madly, completely loves you."

"I-," Darren started but interrupted again.

"You know, I don't know how you feel about that man, but you need to tell him something. He's totally devastated, Dare. I mean, he's not left his apartment all week, and he won't hardly talk to anyone, and I can't tell you the last time I saw give a smile that wasn't part of a scene. You really should-"

"I love him Lea." It was Darren's turn to interrupt. He swung his legs off the side of the bed and peered out into the moonlight and found himself wondering if Chris was doing the same thing at that very moment. "I love him with all my heart. I think I fell in love with him the first day on set. He just looked at me and smiled and my heart was his. Lea, you have to understand where I'm coming from. I've been telling everyone under the sun that I am one hundred percent straight for years now. I've always prided myself for being open and honest and accepting. How do you think people would react if they knew I'd fallen in love with a man? Worse, how would they treat Chris? He'd be accused of _converting _me."

"So what you are telling me is that you would not only deny yourself the one shot you could possibly have at true love, but you would also deny Chris that very same thing?' Lea asked quietly, her anger now faded. She could tell from talking to him that this had been a rough road for Darren as well.

"God, Lea… I don't want to. I want to spend the rest of my life with him," Darren said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But everyone else…"

"Who gives a flyin' fuck about everyone else Darren? This is your guys' happiness we're talking about here. No one else. Hey, aren't you the one who said there's nothing more badass than being yourself?"

"I don't want him to turn me down," Darren mumbled, almost as if saying it out loud might make it come true.

"Trust me, Darren. That would seriously never happen," Lea responded with a chuckle.

"You don't know for sure," Darren said, running a hand through his curly locks. He had already gotten dressed and was searching for his car keys. Since Lea had called, his body seemed to initiate a "we're going to see Chris" sequence, and his brain was trying to keep up. Grabbing his keys, he walked out of his apartment. Lea could hear the noises in the background, and held off an excited squeal.

"Why don't you go and see then Darren?" Lea asked, not knowing Darren was already on the highway, car pointed south towards his man.


	5. Coming Home

_**SO SORRY! I have very little excuse as to why this took so long to upload. How dare real life get in the way of my hobbies. Between working 60 hours a week, and taking care of my family and the house... I've had little time for anything else. Thank heavens I have way too much energy to expend, or I'd be exhausted! LOL I do have to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has read, favorited, or reviewed this story since it began. **_

_**A very special thank you goes to ladybird. Your review kicked my butt into gear to get this chapter typed up and uploaded tonight. **_

_**So, this is the final chapter. I really hope you guys like it. Please feel free to leave me a comment and let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading and sticking with me! And please excuse the typos... if there are any. It's almost two a.m. and while I think I caught them all, odds are I didn't!**_

Chris sighed as he sat down on the sofa and looked around at his now clean apartment. At least one thing in his life was in order. Heaven only knew his personal life was in shambles. He felt his mind start to wander back to the curly haired man and he quickly shook his head and stood up, trying to clear any mental images of the other man. He didn't want to think right now. He didn't want to feel. For the first time in almost four months, Chris felt okay. Not wonderful, or great, or even good. He just felt okay. Granted it wasn't much, but for the moment it felt as if someone had flipped a switch inside him and some of the sense of gloom had washed away. He looked over to the sliding glass doors that led to the balcony and saw his reflection. Much to his surprise, he was actually standing slightly taller than he had the night before and managed a small smile. Maybe it helped finally spilling his guts to Lea, or maybe it was because he finally let himself grieve for the loss of his friend and one true love. Whatever it was, Chris was thankful he was finally able to breathe. Crossing over to the stereo, he slipped in a CD and walked over to the doors to the balcony, watching as traffic below ran steadily before him. _Funny how life always seems to move on, _he thought to himself as he watched the headlights of the cars cast dancing shadows on the streets below.

Chris had no explanation for the way he felt, nor would he bother to try and decide how or why, but it was if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders and he felt a little more whole. He almost felt like he had when Darren was still there. Darren. Chris smiled as he thought of the shorter man. _My hobbit, _he thought with a chuckle. He had to figure out a way to get him back. Lea had been right. He was deserving of love and it was Darren's love he wanted. Chris knew that he could get what he wanted; he'd known that since he was a teenager. Once his mind was set on something, there was no stopping him. He heard the song pouring from the speakers and started to sing along with the music, his eyes closed and his heart pounding in his chest.

"But I'm the only one who'd walk across the fire for you."

Chris sang softly as he watched a car pull up outside his building. He slid the door open and walked out into the cool night, a gentle breeze blowing the sounds of the city around, causing the leaves in the trees to sway ever so slightly, as if they were dancing to Chris's singing. A new song had come on, and he was certain his neighbors would have complained about the noise had they not known they were living next to a superstar. Chris snickered at that last thought; he never dreamed he would ever use his fame to get out of trouble, but at the moment he didn't care. After months of feeling like his life was over, he welcomed the reprise and closed his eyes, leaving against the railing of the balcony. Chris closed his eyes and felt the wind gently brush against his cheeks and for a brief moment he could have sworn he smelled Darren. He drew in a deep breath, the wind caressing his face as he began to sing.

_Come to my window._

_Crawl inside, wait by the light of the moon._

He let his emotions guide him through the lyrics, and in his mind's eye all he could see was Darren: Darren sitting on his sofa, wildly colored sock feet propped on the coffee table as he stuffed his face with popcorn as he sang along with whatever Disney movie happened to be playing. Darren standing in his kitchen, fixing them dinner after a long day on set. Darren stretched out in Chris's bed for the first time, his featured relaxed as he slept and Chris looked on, amazed that he had such a wonderful man in his life. The last image made him shudder. It was the look on Darren's face right before he bolted from both the apartment and Chris's life. The line he sang next perfectly fit how he felt at that very moment.

_Nothing fills the blackness that has seeped into my chest._

_I need you in my blood I am forsaking all the rest._

That one really hit home, and he stood up continuing to sing out into the night, his eyes still closed and his hands clenched at his sides. He felt like he could take on the world at that very moment, and nothing could stop him and that he was ready for anything. What he wasn't ready for was for an all too familiar voice to join him on the bridge.

_I don't care what they think._

_I don't care what they say._

_What do they know about this love, anyway?_

Chris whipped around to see Darren standing behind him, his cheeks glistening in the city lights from the tears that freely fell down them. His clothes were rumpled and looked like they'd been slept in, and his face was covered with at least two days worth of stubble. His hair was wild and untamed, and his eyes held a thousand different emotions as he and Chris sang out the rest of the song together, with Darren going solo on one of the last lines.

_Come to my window,_

_I'll be home, I'll be home…_

_I'm coming home._

Chris threw himself into Darren's arms, and let out a choked sob. He didn't care that he should still be angry at Darren for walking out on him. He was too happy to see him to care about anything that had happened in the last three and half months. The only thing Chris cared about was in that very moment, he held the man he loved in his arms and he was never letting go. Finally coming back down to earth for a moment, Chris heard a sniffle from the shorter man and realized he was crying as well.

"I am so sorry," Darren whispered, his voice ragged from emotion. "I don't know why I ran. I guess I just got scared. Not of you, though. I was afraid of what everyone else would say. I know I sound like such a fuckin' hypocrite right now, and trust me when I say I've been kicking myself in the ass ever since I left because I lost valuable days. Days that I could have spent with you, Chris. I was so fucking stupid. Please tell me you'll forgive me for hurting you. I know I don't deserve it, but I never meant to hurt you. I swear. I thought I was protecting you, and I thought I could keep you safe, so I ran. It was the dumbest thing I have ever done. I love you, Chris. More than anything in this world. I can't live without you. Please take me back. I want to come home to you, where I belong. Please?"

Now it was Chris's turn to sniffle. Never had anyone poured out such feelings for him, and despite being more than overwhelmed by it all, he clearly heard one thing. _I love you, Chris. _The only people who had ever told him that was his family. Now here he was standing before the man who had just bared his soul, and his heart swelled with love. Chris felt the tears flowing freely down his cheeks, and laughed for the first time in what felt like forever.

"Darren, that was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me. Of course I'll take you back. I never wanted to get rid of you in the first place. No one has ever loved me the way you do, or made me feel like you do. I love you too, Darren Everett. With all my heart and all my soul."

It was that moment that time seemed to stop. Darren leaned forward and pressed his lips to Chris's, and the fireworks went off. Taken aback, both men pulled apart for a split second. They both knew the other one had felt it too, and their mouths crashed back together, an intoxicating dance of tongues stoking the fire in both their cores. Chris felt Darren moan into this kiss, and took the opportunity to run his tongue along Darren's lip, begging for entrance which was quickly granted. Their arms were wrapped tightly around each other as they fought for dominance in the kiss. In the back of his mind, Darren was reminding himself that this was his first kiss from another man, and it felt like he had died and gone to heaven. Unlike the kisses he had shared with past girlfriends, this one held far more fire and passion than anything he could have ever imagined. Chris's lips were soft, but overwhelmingly male and when Darren felt his knees start to buckle, the taller man took the opportunity to scoop Darren up in his arms and carry him back inside the apartment and down the hall towards the bedroom, where he unceremoniously dropped him.

"You do know that I am in this one hundred percent, right?" Chris asked, his nerves catching up with him. "This could turn ugly you know? I mean, everyone still thinks you're straight."

"I don't know what I am anymore Chris," Darren replied softly, placing his hand on Chris's cheek and smiling. "The only thing I know for sure is I am truly, completely, madly in love with you."

Later on, as they lay worn out and spent beneath the cool material of the sheets, both men clung to each other tightly as they slept, both dreaming dreams of what lay ahead for them. They both knew it wasn't going to be easy, but they knew that they could weather any storm as long as they had each other.


End file.
